Centrist Discussion Thread - Dirty Neutrals

[Finswedeway]

I fail to see how one can even discuss "Centrism" Centrism has no principles--It's just the middle point between whatever extremes there (or based on an arbitrary and subjective "edge")

It's the middle-ground fallacy taken up a step. Just because it's the "middle" doesn't make it more sensible. Sometimes the extremist is the one with the correct answer

Also, the "center" is a slave to the extremes--it moves as they do. As the Left goes farther left, "centrists" inherently have to move that way too or else they became relatively "right wing".

There's no principles. Nothing here outside of relative and rather subjective terms.

I am not tied to the political center. If I was transported to the 1920s, I would still hold my current beliefs, which would make me pretty left-leaning for the time. No one should be tied to a label, rather labels should be tied to people. I am only a centrist because, in the current establishment and political atmosphere, my views are fairly moderate. In the future, I will likely be considered more right-wing, just looking at the current political attitudes of today's youths. And I would be fine with that. But right now, I am a centrist.

[Jackania yugo]

I fail to see how one can even discuss "Centrism" Centrism has no principles--It's just the middle point between whatever extremes there (or based on an arbitrary and subjective "edge")

It's the middle-ground fallacy taken up a step. Just because it's the "middle" doesn't make it more sensible. Sometimes the extremist is the one with the correct answer

Also, the "center" is a slave to the extremes--it moves as they do. As the Left goes farther left, "centrists" inherently have to move that way too or else they became relatively "right wing".

There's no principles. Nothing here outside of relative and rather subjective terms.

I am not tied to the political center. If I was transported to the 1920s, I would still hold my current beliefs, which would make me pretty left-leaning for the time. No one should be tied to a label, rather labels should be tied to people. I am only a centrist because, in the current establishment and political atmosphere, my views are fairly moderate. In the future, I will likely be considered more right-wing, just looking at the current political attitudes of today's youths. And I would be fine with that. But right now, I am a centrist.

What beliefs make up your version of centrism? Do you think it's a good counter to the regressive left and alt right?

[Finswedeway]

I am not tied to the political center. If I was transported to the 1920s, I would still hold my current beliefs, which would make me pretty left-leaning for the time. No one should be tied to a label, rather labels should be tied to people. I am only a centrist because, in the current establishment and political atmosphere, my views are fairly moderate. In the future, I will likely be considered more right-wing, just looking at the current political attitudes of today's youths. And I would be fine with that. But right now, I am a centrist.

What beliefs make up your version of centrism? Do you think it's a good counter to the regressive left and alt right?

I don't actively seek a middle ground, I just have assessed a lot of issues in-depth and came to the conclusion that a more moderate or balanced approached is best. I do not support the status-quo, in fact, there are many things in my country that should change (an example would be gerrymandering. I would propose solving this by having a department of oversight to ensure that districts are representative of certain cultural or ethnic groups).

[Democratic Exodian Territories]

Centrism is being in the center regions of the political compass or anything comparable.

Which stands for what exactly?

Aspects of both the right and left-wing, while strongly against the extremes of both.

[Pilarcraft]

Which stands for what exactly?

Aspects of both the right and left-wing, while strongly against the extremes of both.

Personally, I prefer "not wanting to jump at one of the two side's throats on principle" a better definition tbh. It's more about pragmatism than about indifference on political extremism.

[Aillyria]

Which stands for what exactly?

Aspects of both the right and left-wing, while strongly against the extremes of both.

How vague.

[Cekoviu]

^{[citation needed]}

tbf, I can only give anecdotal evidence. There aren't exactly that many studies on who says what

I've seen one person on these forums say the thing about white imperialism (and I called him out for it because that's disgustingly racist), and that Venn diagram does not overlap at all. Not that my evidence is any stronger, being anecdotal as well. I tend to consider the null hypothesis valid when there isn't any sort of solid proof.

[Finswedeway]

tbf, I can only give anecdotal evidence. There aren't exactly that many studies on who says what

I've seen one person on these forums say the thing about white imperialism (and I called him out for it because that's disgustingly racist), and that Venn diagram does not overlap at all. Not that my evidence is any stronger, being anecdotal as well. I tend to consider the null hypothesis valid when there isn't any sort of solid proof.

That's a fair way of doing things, I just happen to live in a community in which such progressive views are commonplace, and there's a lot of overlap

[Balkanized China]

What's CDT's opinion on a combination of Distributionism and Georgism? Would it be a fair compromise between the right populists and social democrats to on one hand bring back small business capitalism and instate a progressive tax system only a small minority would have to pay form or would it be too onesided and lean too heavily towards socialism or capitalism for most folks?

[Costa Fierro]

What's CDT's opinion on a combination of Distributionism and Georgism? Would it be a fair compromise between the right populists and social democrats to on one hand bring back small business capitalism and instate a progressive tax system only a small minority would have to pay form or would it be too onesided and lean too heavily towards socialism or capitalism for most folks?

No idea what those two -isms are. Personally my belief is that corporate taxes at least should serve the interests of small and medium sized businesses, in the sense that the taxes should be fair and proportional to income.

[Nordengrund]

What's CDT's opinion on a combination of Distributionism and Georgism? Would it be a fair compromise between the right populists and social democrats to on one hand bring back small business capitalism and instate a progressive tax system only a small minority would have to pay form or would it be too onesided and lean too heavily towards socialism or capitalism for most folks?

I like Georgism, but I'm not certain if it would actually work in practice. I did go through a geolibertarian phase, and I have not fully abandoned the ideology, rather I see it as something that could work and should be given the chance to be implemented to see.

I find Distributism a little alienating as almost of its proponents are Catholics, and I'm an Evangelical. I know very few Protestants who support it, and those who do tend to be high-church Anglicans.

[Painisia]

What is called a conservative centrist?

[The Empire of Pretantia]

Aspects of both the right and left-wing, while strongly against the extremes of both.

How vague.

Left-right dichotomy is vague. On one side you have Marxists, liberals, Anarchists, and the like; on the other you have monarchists, fascists, etc.

[Cekoviu]

What is called a conservative centrist?

You mean what is a conservative centrist called? Christian democrat is one common name (in Europe), while moderate Republican/conservative would be used in America, and centre-right is where they'd be on the political spectrum. Angela Merkel is an example of a Christian democrat.

[Unit 23]

What is called a conservative centrist?

That's close to my opposite. I'm all for globalization and technology. Presumably, that would be the opposite; nationality and tradition.

Centrism has various labels from state to state in the real world. Hard to define because mostly everyone partially in the centrist club.

[Nordengrund]

What are your thoughts on gun control

At the moment, I’m undecided about where Instand.

[Trumptonium]

What is called a conservative centrist?

You mean what is a conservative centrist called? Christian democrat is one common name (in Europe), while moderate Republican/conservative would be used in America, and centre-right is where they'd be on the political spectrum. Angela Merkel is an example of a Christian democrat.

angela merkel is a conservative?

on what kind of measurement is this? what has she done that screams 'conservative' at you?

or better, what has she done that makes her different from schroder and clinton??

[Geilinor]

You mean what is a conservative centrist called? Christian democrat is one common name (in Europe), while moderate Republican/conservative would be used in America, and centre-right is where they'd be on the political spectrum. Angela Merkel is an example of a Christian democrat.

angela merkel is a conservative?

on what kind of measurement is this? what has she done that screams 'conservative' at you?

or better, what has she done that makes her different from schroder and clinton??

Her party is relatively conservative compared to other mainstream parties in Germany. The AfD are way off on the right into being reactionary so I'm not considering them in the analysis.

[Cekoviu]

You mean what is a conservative centrist called? Christian democrat is one common name (in Europe), while moderate Republican/conservative would be used in America, and centre-right is where they'd be on the political spectrum. Angela Merkel is an example of a Christian democrat.

angela merkel is a conservative?

on what kind of measurement is this? what has she done that screams 'conservative' at you?

or better, what has she done that makes her different from schroder and clinton??

Conservative centrist being the key word. She's still a centrist, but a bit more right-wing on economic issues (and social ones, from what I can tell) than a regular centrist party. Clinton is certainly centre-right as well.

[Costa Fierro]

Merkel and the rest of her ilk are centre-right, not centrist. There are likely some moderate elements in her party, but it's square between whatever the German centre is and the AfD.

[Albrenia]

A lot of centre-right and right-wing parties would look left-wing to the US audience, due to where the 'centre' is in the US.

[Finswedeway]

Oh hey this is still around.

Thoughts on gun control? I think something like a license system might be best, kinda like how you get a license for a car.

[Costa Fierro]

Oh hey this is still around.

Thoughts on gun control? I think something like a license system might be best, kinda like how you get a license for a car.

I'd like to see mandatory firearms training so that people who do buy guns actually know how to use them safely, in addition to mandatory regulations for keeping stored guns away from children, either in a locker or in a safe and secure place. Also do what New Zealand does and have firearms licence age set at the same age as a driver's licence (16) to avoid confusion.

New Zealand's firearms laws are actually pretty good at weeding out people who only want firearms for the sake of having them; it's expensive and quite difficult to get anything other than a shotgun or a bolt-action rifle (which is what the basic licence entitles holders to own and use). That means people who are serious about firearms, i.e pistol shooters and gun collectors/dealers, can get semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms.

[Soyouso]

Well, well, well. This thread is finally a thing.

What sort of meaningless label do you put on yourself as a centrist?

I'm a fascist. Because I am fascist. A fabulous fascist.

[Bienenhalde]

I like Georgism, but I'm not certain if it would actually work in practice. I did go through a geolibertarian phase, and I have not fully abandoned the ideology, rather I see it as something that could work and should be given the chance to be implemented to see.

I find Distributism a little alienating as almost of its proponents are Catholics, and I'm an Evangelical. I know very few Protestants who support it, and those who do tend to be high-church Anglicans.

As a Protestant, I find Distributism to be far more in line with the Bible and the teachings of Jesus than the hyper-capitalist ideology of the so-called Christian right.